New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-28
THE VOLUNTEER WINS.
WIND AND WEATHER THE IHIS1LES
THE SCOTSMAN LED AT THE START. BUT
WAS SOON OVERHAULED.
BEATEN BY 10 MINUTES 2aa SECONDS.

WONDERFUL GAIN OF THE fANhEF sLooT-ohH
AsToNIsHEs HER MOST ARDENT ADMIRERS
THE THisrIE's PARTI-ANs THINK
SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH
HER BoTToM-How THE
GREAT RACE WAS WON.
The first Of the races for the Americas Cup
between the Scotch cutter Thi.tlc and the Ameri-
can sloop Volunteer sailed yesterday over
the inside course of the New-YorlS Yacht Club,
as required by the deed Of gift governing the
possession Of the cup, and the Yankee sloop won
in fine style The distance was thirty-eight
mills. There was not wind enough TO start the
boats until two hours after the time announced
In tie official programme. When it came it was
light, but there WAS enough OF it 10 enable the
yachts 10 complete the course well within the
time limit-in fact with two hours to spare.
1t was just the kind Of weather which admirers
OF the Thistle had predicted would secure victory
for the Scotch boat 1t was just the sort OF
weather which admirers of the Volunteer most
dreaded. Under tie circumstances nobody would
have been surprised had the Thistle won. Every
body expected nt least n close race. But after
tie first twenty minutes II was no race at all.
IL became n procession with the Thistle fall nc
further and further astern From start TO finish
the Thistle stood no chance OF winning. The
Volunteer went over the course in hours and
SO minutes l6 seconds. The Thistlcs time was
3 hours I2 minutes AGA seconds. Thus the
Thistle was beaten by 10 minutes 2s3i seconds,
or after crediting her with the seconds time
allowance due her, by 10 minutes 23si seconds.
IL a tremendous beating to administer 10
the fastest boat by long odds in Great Britain.
The figures may be discounted somewhat by al
lowing for time lost by the Thistle when the
wind played her fal and deserted her, and by
making deductions for delays caused her by Ill
managed steamboats,.
THE voIuNTEF THw BETTER BOAT At ALL TlMVs.
But after all this is done the conclusion is
irresistible that in windward work even in light
weather the Volunteer rs much better boat
than the Thstl'. Half the distance-irom the
starting line TO Sandy Hook LightShp-was wind
ward work. and over this part Of the course the
Volunteer gained 30 minutes and i5a seconds on
the Thistle On the return course after rounding
the Sandy Hook Lightship. for Onehnlf the dis
tancc the yachts had the wind free, and for tho
rest of the way it was dead aft. Under these
conditions the 1histlr cut down the lead OF the
Volunteer / minute and 2Gl2 seconds, but by
nppi, ing the same impartial judgment as was
shown the Thistle in the earlier comparison, this
is fully accounted for by the fact that as the
wind fIcshencd hit astcrn the Thistle derived
more benefit from it than did the Volunteer and
the latter ON the run home was more hamTcred
by close proximity OF steamers, they
having deserted the Thistle in order TO be in at
the finish. So il Is fair TO regard the Volunteer
as fairly equal 10 the Thistle in running free
and i'm running before the wind in light weather
and on the latter point Of sailing at least it
was lin ed for the Thistle and generally conceded
that she woull prove superior TO the Volunteer.
From all this one inference, In the estimation
Of nearly everybody who saw the race lis clear
cnough-the cup Is safe. The race brought to-
gethcr a larger gathering Of steam craft Of all
sorts than has before been seen in the Bay at
one time. 1t is estimated that there were fully
&c, 900 people afoat The interest shown in the
race largely exceeded that excited by any pre-
vious contest for the cup.
The mkt race will take place on Thursday and
the course will be twenty miles to windward
or leeward and return from Sandy Hook Light
ship. IL Is to be hoped that there will then be
O good strong breeze II there is there can be
little doubt that the Volunteer will win and
win handsomely But yacht racing is full Of
surprises and the Thistle may astonish people
by treating them TO one of an unexpected sort.
This at least is the hope with which Scotsmen
buoy up their courage to-day.
They are supported in 1t by the belief that
tne IntSllc WIS nOJ Ht HcT DcSt ycbueruhy. tiHO
her bottom was out Of order, whether through
accident, misadv anture, even some underband
work-though the last reason was not more than
hinted at.
FEARS AND HOPES ABOUT THE WEATHER.
"WilI there be any winds"
This was the question which preceded all other
greetings on the Electra. The man who replied
that there wouldn't was regarded Jobs
comforter; SO most people compromised by re-
plJ ing that there might lie winds. Veteran George
l.. Schuy icr, OF America fame, exhibited some
thing Of his nautical lore by Observing that you
couli never tell what sort of weather might come
out of fog-that there always room for
hope when q fog was around. DR.. Asch the
lieet surgeon, who icing without other oppor-
tunites for displaying his skill, was requested
to doctor the weather, observed, after critical
! examination of his patient, that there would not
be wind enough to make n race. Thisprediction
wns "tidings OF comfort and joy" to some people
whose fear OF the Thistle in light winds from
being the mere shadow Of ghost had materialized